Love Your Brain through yoga and meditation

Professional snowboarder Kevin Pearce was training for the 2010 Olympics when a serious crash left him with a traumatic brain injury.

As he worked through recovery, Pearce and his brother developed the Love Your Brain Foundation, whose programs includes yoga, meditation, retreat, education and awareness specifically for those with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

After training staff in Portland, Ore., Neuromotion Physiotherapy brought the program to its three locations in Surrey, Vancouver and Victoria last June.

“Love Your Brain is a free, six-week yoga and meditation program for people who have experienced mild traumatic brain injury,” explains Pauline Martin, physiotherapist and clinic owner.

“Yoga calms their nervous system and allows them to focus on their breathing, and allows them to move more easily and with increased breathing, body and movement awareness,” Martin explains. Additional benefits include improved balance, strength and focus.

Hosted in a setting for those who may experience light, music and noise sensitivity, “Love Your Brain adapts specific poses to prevent dizziness and headaches,” Martin says. Following each session, a 20-minute discussion allows participants to share experiences, concerns and successes.

“Clients have really enjoyed the program, finding it improves confidence both emotionally and physically, while also addressing the social isolation people with TBI can experience.”

Be Mindful this March

During Mindful March, Neuromotion Physiotherapy and partner Love Your Brain will raise awareness of the benefits of yoga and meditation for people with traumatic brain injury with classes and screenings of the documentary about Pearce’s experience, Crash Reel. Watch their website and Facebook sites for dates.

Also coming up is Brain Awareness Week, March 12 to 18, highlighting the challenges of TBI and brain research, including that going on at the Health and Technology District where the Surrey clinic is located.

“Mild TBI is quite invisible because you can’t see it, so many people aren’t aware of the challenges these individuals are going through. The hope is that awareness might also bring more empathy and more understanding,” Martin says.

During the week, Neuromotion will also welcome visitors who would like to learn more about TBI and the services the specialized physiotherapy practice offers.

Support those with Traumatic Brain Injury today

Neuromotion Surrey has partnered with the Drive for the Cure Foundation to fundraise for a $500,000 Lokomat, a vital robotic device that works with a treadmill to help someone with brain and neurological injury, stroke or spinal cord injury learn to walk again. Learn more about this life-changing technology and donate at Project Lokomat.

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Neuromotion Physiotherapy helps children and adults re-train functional movement through clinical application of neuroscientific principles. Staff provide expert hands-on treatments, education and exercises to enable the client to achieve their goals and maximize their physical potential.